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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none"><a href="https://baylor.box.com/s/69uadxyf8kd8n6jjvx8okg8lvl7f7e1a">BU VB MEDIA MATERIALS FOLDER</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;text-decoration:none">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Aug. 24, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black">Baylor VB Heads to Minnesota for Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black;background:white">Bears face Wisconsin on Friday and Minnesota on Saturday<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">For more information contact:
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Madelon Allen; 254-252-7168, </span><a href="mailto:madelon_allen@baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">madelon_allen@baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt">
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. –</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> The 15<sup>th</sup>-ranked Baylor
volleyball squad starts its 2023 season on the road with the third installment of the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Friday when the Bears face second-ranked Wisconsin, then BU will play No. 7 Minnesota on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Both matches will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. The match with the Badgers begins at 4:30 p.m. CT, while the match with the Golden
Gophers is slated for 7 p.m. CT. All matches will be played in the Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minn.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Overall, the Bears are 23-22 in season openers and 13-8 when starting on neutral ground. Baylor has opened its season on the road for
the last five seasons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">BU split the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge in the first two years, winning against Minnesota in 2021 and against Wisconsin in 2022. This
year, there is a new coach on the block, with Minnesota tapping Washington’s Keegan Cook for the head job. In his tenure, Ryan McGuyre is 3-2 against Wisconsin and 1-2 against Minnesota.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Heading into their sophomore season, Baylor’s Averi Carlson and Allie Sczech were both named Preseason All-Big 12 while Kyndal Stowers
was tabbed Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year. BU was picked to finish third in the conference behind Texas and BYU.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">In the AVCA/Teraflex Preseason Coaches Poll, the Bears have eight opponents ranked and four others receiving votes.
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">BU closed its preseason with a 3-1 exhibition match win against Texas A&M on August 19<sup>th</sup>, with Stowers collecting 24 kills,
Lauren Briseño had 15 digs, Carlson with 51 assists and five blocks, while Sczech and Manuela Bibinbe each had four.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">There are no seniors on the squad, a first for McGuyre and the first time since 2004 for the Baylor program. The freshman class is made
up of six student-athletes, with three ranked in the top-25. Bibinbe is a JUCO transfer from Missouri State West Plains, originally from Cameroon. The class as a whole was ranked No. 7 by PrepVolleyball.com.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left" style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVBall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" align="center" style="text-align:center"><a href="http://www.BaylorBears"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;text-decoration:none">- BaylorBears</span></i></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;text-decoration:none">.com</span></i></span><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">
-<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#385623">Madelon Allen</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#385623"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">| </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Associate
Director of Athletics Communications <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">VB, A&T, BaylorBears.com</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">C: 254-252-7168<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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